Technical Field of Invention
The embodiments herein generally relate to an apparatus for fluid separation and particularly relate to an apparatus and a method for automated fluid decantation on a basis of the gravity of fluids in a fluid mixture. The embodiments herein more particularly relate to an apparatus and a method for automatic decantation of a multi-phase fluid with simultaneous separation of each phase on the basis of their gravity.
Description of Related Art
A decantation, also known as separation funnel is a piece of laboratory glassware used in liquid-liquid extractions to separate the components of a mixture into two or more phases on the basis of densities of the liquid. To use a separation funnel, the mixture to be separated is added through the top with a stopcock for closing a bottom opening. A top and a bottom tap are then opened and the lower phase is released by gravitation. A top opening must be opened while releasing a lower phase to allow pressure equalization between the inside of the funnel and the atmosphere. When the lower layer phase is removed, the stopcock is closed and an upper layer phase is poured out through the top into another container. The same method is used for industrial purposes but the containers are in large scale. The other industrial way is to use a centrifuge machine which separates the phases in high accuracy but the centrifuge machine needs too much energy and is generally too expensive.
The most important use of large scale separation of the immiscible liquids is for collecting and separating oil spills from high seas. For an oil spill on a surface of water, it is surrounded by a collection boom in order to prevent spreading, then one of the following common ways are used to separate oil spills:                1) A first way, most common in nature, is to burn the spill before spreading and polluting the water. This annihilates the oil but causes large amount of pollution for the environment.        2) The second way is to use the natural and artificial absorbents. The natural absorbents such as feather and wood chips and the artificial absorbents such as poly ethylene and nylon, burn with the oil.        3) The third way is to use absorbent skimmers but because of being expensive and least outcome, aren't used most of the time. From whirring disks to floating drums, the absorbent skimmers work by removing an oil layer from the surface of the water. These devices attract oil to their surfaces before transferring it to a collection tank, often fitted on a boat which is method is highly time consuming.        4) The fourth way is to use the chemical dispersants. Releasing the chemical dispersants on an oil slick breaks down the oil into smaller droplets, allowing them to mix more easily into the water column but due to presence of droplets of oil, the water gets polluted.        
Thus in the view of foregoing, there is a need for an apparatus and method to provide a large scale separation of fluid mixtures without polluting water or air. Also there is a need for an apparatus and method for automated decantation of a multi-phase fluid using gravity separation technique. Further there is a need for an apparatus and a method for detection of density wise disposal of each fluid phase in a multi-phase fluid mixture and thus initiating a disposal or collection of next phase having lower density than earlier disposed phase.
The above mentioned shortcomings, disadvantages and problems are addressed herein, as detailed below.